1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protective shields for ties, and more particularly to shielding covers which are attachable to four-in-hand ties being worn by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional ties are subjected to inadvertent soiling when the wearer dines. Drops of food or drink often fall onto the exposed surface of the tie, frequently being unnoticed until a later time, resulting in an unsightly stain.
The material of which ties are constituted usually necessitates dry cleaning as opposed to conventional laundering. Today, the cost of dry-cleaning a tie is such that it is not economically practical to have the tie cleaned; rather, severely soiled ties are often discarded and replaced. This practice is both costly and wasteful. In addition, many times it results in the loss of a "favorite" piece of wearing apparel, which may have been the gift of a relative or close friend. Along with the loss of the tie itself goes any inherent sentimental value that might be attributable to it.
Efforts to minimize soiling of wearing apparel while one is dining have met with varying degrees of success. In particular, many seafood restaurants issue, free to the customer, "bibs" of one sort or another, especially for use with entrees such as lobster or crab, which usually are served with relatively watery, butter or spiced sauce that is prone to dripping or running.
While existing bibs have been found to accomplish the desired objective, they are unsightly, since they are constituted of light-colored, tissue-like material and are relatively stiff, bulky, and uncomfortable to wear. In addition, they conceal the wearer's attire, thus detracting from the overall neat, dressy appearance he or she frequently wishes to project.